L.A. PARKER: Dude, where's my car? Johns should lose their ride

Men arrested for prostitution solicitation in the city of Trenton should have their vehicles confiscated.

“They, especially the married ones, would have a pretty hard time explaining that to their wives. If they are breaking the law then we should make life a lot tougher. Right now, johns and prostitutes get arrested, get a drink of water, then head back out to do their business,” John Cipriano, a former Trenton councilman said.

“I like the fact that some papers print the names of the johns. I just don’t like that the names are about the size of print you find in a telephone book. Face it, we can do a better job policing prostitution if we embarrass the hell out of the men who come into this city for sex.”

Cipriano, an ex-city council warhorse, served 24 years as a city council member before retiring his political shield. Ideas like seizure of johns’ vehicles could have launched his come back.

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Of course, one will argue that such a seizure could prove problematic should the john avoid prosecution. However, we could make a similar argument for the DWI car operator who may escape conviction; or any other probable-caused arrest.

Trenton remains in crisis on numerous fronts as high unemployment, poor high school graduation numbers, violence, crime, and a litany of other social indicators plunge the city into difficult times.

City leaders have lacked out of box ideas or anyone ready to push an envelope except for former Mayor Tony Mack and his cast of family and friends who turned taking cash-filled envelopes into an art form for a federal corruption conviction.

The beauty of Cipriano’s idea is that other U.S. cities have approved ordinances that allow law enforcement to confiscate vehicles used in the course of prostitution.

For instance, Albuquerque attached it’s vehicle confiscation legislation to an anti-nuisance ordinance which allowed city officias to pursue demolition of dilapidated houses and intervene in other quality of life issues.

In Oklahoma City, vehicles can be seized for 90 days while the owner faces a $1,900 fine. Oh yeah, and a towing fine.

Such penalties and fees likely would deter many johns from coming into Trenton for sex. Cipriano said city council members should utilize their power.

“They have a lot more power than they realize. First, we need an ordinance but it has to be approved with an understanding that the Mercer County prosecutor is on board. We should be ready to take this problem on,” Cipriano urged.

Maybe Trenton is ready after a forgettable term by Mayor Mack who heads off to federal prison in July following a conviction on several corruption charges.

Prostitution pulses in the city’s east and west wards as working women tread through many neighborhoods near South Clinton and even parts of Hamilton avenues.

Mayor-elect Eric Jackson should include tackling prostitution on his agenda while city council returns six incumbents who need to deliver a better performance than their first term together.

“The last thing these guys want is to have to tell their wives that they are involved in prostitution. I don’t think many of them will risk giving up their cars but you never know. Of course, if Trenton can get this done, we’re going to have to make sure these impounded cars don’t get vandalized,” Cipriano added.

“So, we have some new (political) blood with our next mayor. Let’s see what we can do. Why not? If we really want to take care of prostitution then we have to be a lot tougher. We have to be strong.”

— L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Reach him at laparker@trentonian.com. Twitter @laparker6.